System and method for providing a micro registry

ABSTRACT

In various embodiments, a micro registry may be a mobile communication platform that is configured to connect to users and service hosts. The micro registry may facilitate advertisements, payments, communication, loyalty, behavior tracking, social media interaction, and/or any other suitable communication advertising, or transaction between a user and a service host. The micro registry may employ BLE beacons that enable the micro-registry to identify micro-locations and facilitate connections (e.g., interfaces, interactions, communications, etc.) between user devices and service hosts and/or merchants.

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/735,109, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FORPROVIDING A MICRO REGISTRY,” and filed Jan. 6, 2022, which is acontinuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/454,452, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A MICROREGISTRY,” and filed Aug. 7, 2014, which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entireties.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing amicro registry, and more specifically, to creating a network tofacilitate communication between users in short rage communicationnetwork.

BACKGROUND

Current Bluetooth low energy (“BLE”) beacons can provide informationthat can be correlated to a location. This information may facilitatecommunication between a user, and an individual service host or merchantbased on the location of the user as identified by the informationprovided by the beacon. However, the individual communication mayrequire that a user switch between service providers when interactingwith different merchants. The requirement to switch between serviceproviders may fragment the user's relationship with the merchant and/orservice provider. Moreover, there is not a standard for access orcommunication between a user and merchants and/or service providers.

SUMMARY

A system, method, and computer readable medium (collectively, the“System”) for administering a short range communication network maycomprise operations and/or steps performed by a computer based systemincluding: receiving first location information associated with a userdevice from a beacon; receiving, via the beacon, a service request fromthe user device through a mobile application; determining a service hostfor the service request, wherein the service host is associated with aservice host identifier, and wherein the service host is one of aplurality of service hosts; transmitting merchant information andservice request information to the service host; and connecting themobile application and the service host.

The computer based system may comprise a service host location databasethat comprises virtual addresses for a plurality of service hosts.

The beacon may comprise a wireless communication protocol. The wirelesscommunication protocol may be a Bluetooth low energy communicationprotocol.

The service request may launch the mobile application associated with amerchant. The service request may also be a request to initiate apayment with a transaction account. The transaction account may beassociated with at least one of the mobile application, the servicehost, or the service request.

The system may further comprise a computer based system performingoperations and/or steps including displaying, via the mobile device, theservice hosts content. The computer based system may also comprise atleast one of a merchant gateway or a third party gateway. The content ofthe service host may be provided through at least one of the merchantgateway or the third party gateway.

The system may further comprise a computer based system performingoperations and/or steps including: parsing the service request, whereinthe service request includes the service host identifier; analyzing theservice host identifier to determine a service host; determining anelectronic location of a service host from a database of service hostlocations, wherein the database comprises a listing corresponding to theplurality of service hosts, and wherein each of the plurality of servicehosts is associated with an electronic location.

The system may further comprise a computer based system performingoperations and/or steps including: requesting content from the servicehost responsive to the service request, wherein the request is sent tothe electronic location associated with the service host; and presentingthe content to the user device at the micro registry and via the usergateway.

The forgoing features and elements may be combined in variouscombinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated hereinotherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation of thedisclosed embodiments will become more apparent in light of thefollowing description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. Amore complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may beobtained by referring to the detailed description and claims whenconsidered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like numeralsdenote like elements.

FIG. 1A illustrates a system architecture for a micro registry, inaccordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 1B illustrates exemplary micro registry modules, in accordance withvarious embodiments; and

FIG. 2 is a process flow for operating an exemplary micro registry, inaccordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes referenceto the accompanying drawings and pictures, which show variousembodiments by way of illustration. While these various embodiments aredescribed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodimentsmay be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, thedetailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustrationonly and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of themethod or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are notlimited to the order presented. Moreover, any of the functions or stepsmay be outsourced to or performed by one or more third parties.Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, andany reference to more than one component may include a singularembodiment.

In various embodiments, a micro registry may be a mobile communicationplatform that is configured to connect to users and service hosts. Themicro registry may facilitate advertisements, payments, communication,loyalty, behavior tracking, social media interaction, and/or any othersuitable communication advertising, or transaction between a user and aservice host. The micro registry may employ BLE beacons that identify auser location based on an identifier. By providing the identifier to themicro-registry via a user device, a merchant associated with the beacon,merchant information, the user location and other information may beprovided by the registry to the user device. Moreover, the user devicemay be routed by the micro-registry to additional content (e.g., a urlassociated with a location (e.g., a merchant) and/or a service hostacting on behalf of and/or associated with the location).

In various embodiments, the identifier may comprise a globally uniqueidentifier (“GUID”). The GUID may be an identifier created and/orimplemented under the universally unique identifier standard. Moreover,the GUID may be stored as 128-bit value that can be displayed as 32hexadecimal digits. The identifier may also include a major number, anda minor number. The major number and minor number may each be 16 bitintegers. The unique combinations of major numbers and minor number maybe assigned to BLE beacons and/or associated locations. As such, theidentifier received by the user device and provided to the microregistry may be associated with a particular micro-location.

The micro registry may also employ one or more API's that allow servicehosts and/or merchants to provide content, connect, and/or interact withvarious services including, for example, mobile services, paymentservices, loyalty services, advertising services, and/or the like.

As used herein, a “micro-location” of a user may comprise a location ofa user in relation to any energy consuming device. For example, theenergy consuming device may comprise a high, medium, and/or low energyconsuming device and/or any combination thereof. For example, the energyconsuming device may be a low power and/or low energy consuming device.Such a device may be a BLUETOOTH device, such as a wireless beaconcommunicating using a low power or low energy BLUETOOTH communicationstandard (a “BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY beacon” or simply, a “BLE beacon”).However, in various embodiments, any type of low energy consuming devicemay be implemented with the systems described herein. For example, invarious embodiments, any device (including any other BLE beacon) capableof communicating with a web-client and/or any other BLE beacon withinthree hundred meters of a BLE beacon may comprise a low energy consumingdevice. Thus, although the phrase “BLE beacon” is used herein withparticular respect to a BLUETOOTH low energy consuming device, a BLEbeacon may comprise any energy consuming device capable of communicationwith a web-client. In various embodiments, the low energy consumingdevice may capable of communication with a web-client to withinapproximately three hundred meters or less—that is, any device capableof communicating with a web-client within a micro-location of theweb-client. As described above, a low energy consuming device (e.g., BLEbeacon 150) may comprise any device capable of transmitting and/orreceiving a signal wirelessly using a low power or low energy connectionto a network. In various embodiments, such a signal may comprise aBLUETOOTH signal. A BLUETOOTH signal may comprise and/or utilize one ormore internet protocol (“IP”) session connections. The IP sessionconnections may enable a variety of piconet communication technologies.In various embodiments, particularly with regard IP version 6, acryptographic key exchange protocol (symmetric and/or asymmetric) may beimplemented. For example, a key management device may utilize IEEEStandard 1363.1-2013 for identity based cryptographic techniques thatutilize pairings such that an encryption key may comprise one or moreplain text strings (such as one or more email addresses).

Accordingly, although the term “BLE beacon” is used herein inassociation with a BLUETOOTH communication protocol and/or signal, thephrase may refer to any communication protocol and/or any other “lowenergy” signal. As used herein, a “low energy signal” may comprise anysignal capable of being received by a web-client within a range ofapproximately three hundred meters or less. In various embodiments, aBLE beacon may enable the discovery of a micro-location of a user. Amicro-location may comprise any location of the user within, forexample, user within a defined distance such as, within 100 meters of aBLE beacon.

The BLE beacons may be deployed in various physical locations including,for example, brick and mortar merchant locations. A merchant may use athird party service host to facilitate interactions between the merchantand the user. In this regard, the micro registry may help merchantsengage users seamlessly, without regard to the service host employed bythe merchant, because the service host will be seamlessly and instantlyaccessible through the micro registry. Moreover, the micro registry mayreduce fragmentation of mobile and/or geo-location services.

As e-commerce and digital activities grow and the boundaries of thevirtual marketplace and virtual world disappear, consumers are lookingfor ways to more easily conduct transactions, connect with merchants,obtain information about items, initiate transactions to make purchases,receive rewards, reverse items and/or the like. Providing a network thatfacilitates interactions between various service hosts, merchants,loyalty programs, acquirers, transaction account issuers, points ofsale, payment services and/or the like allows the user to seamlesslyconnect with the merchant. This network also minimizes and/or eliminatesthe fragmentation that may occur, where service hosts are not accessibleon the same network.

Phrases and terms similar to “business,” “service host” or “merchant”may be used interchangeably with each other and shall mean any person,entity, distributor system, software and/or hardware that is a provider,broker and/or any other entity in the distribution chain of goods orservices. In this regard, the “business,” “service host” or “merchant”may facilitate a real world or virtual interaction, transaction,exchange of information between a supplier of an item and a user. Thisinteraction or transaction may be trigger by a service request from auser in a micro registry.

Terms and phrases similar to “associate” and/or “associating” mayinclude tagging, flagging, correlating, using a look-up table or anyother method or system for indicating or creating a relationship betweenelements, such as, for example, (i) a transaction account and (ii) anitem (e.g., offer, reward, discount) (iii) a digital channel, (iv) aservice request, (v) a service host, and/or the like. Moreover, theassociating may occur at any point, in response to any suitable action,event, or period of time. The associating may occur at pre-determinedintervals, periodic, randomly, once, more than once, or in response to asuitable request or action.

The micro registry may allow any digital channel to be augmented orsupplemented to become a payment channel. In operation, the system iscapable connecting, associating and/or otherwise facilitating aconnection and/or exchange between a user and a service host.

In various embodiments, and with reference to FIG. 1A, system 100 maycomprise a micro registry 110, an administrator gateway 115, a mobileapp gateway 120, a user gateway 130, a merchant gateway 140, and a BLEbeacon 150. Micro registry 110 may act as a hub or routing system thatis capable of hosting and/or connecting any of administrator gateway115, mobile app gateway 120, user gateway 130, merchant gateway 140,and/or BLE beacon 150 together. In this regard, micro registry 110 mayfacilitate the exchange of content, data, information, transactioninformation, offer information, advertising information, and/or thelike. BLE beacon 150 may also be configured as a standalone transmitterthat is configured to transmit an identifier to a user device 135 and/ora merchant device 145 via a BLE communication 153.

In various embodiments, and with reference to FIGS. 1A-1B, microregistry 110 may be any suitable software, hardware, and/orhardware-software system that is configured to facilitate communicationbetween users and service hosts. Micro registry 110 may comprise atracking engine 112, a routing engine 114, a routing database 116,and/or any other suitable component, module, engine, and/or software orhardware system. Tracking engine 112 may be configured to track,monitor, identity, and/or otherwise locate a user and/or user device inresponse to user device 135 providing an identifier from BLE beacon 150.In this regard, the user device may receive an identifier from the BLEbeacon. BLE beacon 150 may be configured to create a geo-fence. Thisgeo-fence may be an electronic boundary, perimeter, fence, and/or areawhere a BLE signal is transmitted from BLE beacon 150 to the area. Userdevice 135 may be capable of interacting with, receiving, and/oranswering the transmission of BLE beacon 150. User device 135 may thencommunicate that identifier to tracking engine 112. Tracking engine 112may be configured to receive the identifier from the user device. Inresponse to receiving the identifier, tracking engine 112 may be capableof identifying the location and/or micro-location of a user, aparticular user, and/or a particular device.

In various embodiments, tracking engine 112 may also be configured toprovide preliminary information about the location associated with theidentifier. For example, tracking engine 112 may be configured toprovide a location information, a merchant name and first merchantinformation (e.g., preliminary merchant information including forexample, a merchant name, an identifier, and a path to additionallocation content (e.g., a path or url) and/or the like) to the userdevice and a routing engine. Moreover, tracking engine 112 may beconfigured to link the user device to routing engine 114 via routingdatabase 116 to facilitate further interaction or information beingprovided to the user device.

In various embodiments, routing engine 114 may be configured to connectusers and service hosts. Routing engine 114 may be capable of accessingrouting database 116, may be in electronic communication with routingdatabase 116, and/or may utilize routing database 116. In this regard,routing database 116 may comprise correlating information thatidentifies a particular electronic address or location for a particularservice host. Moreover, routing database 116 may comprise a plurality ofelectronic locations for a plurality of service hosts. In this regard,each service host may have an associated electronic address or locationcorresponding to a unique identifier (e.g., a GUID with a unique majornumber and minor number). For example, a different identifier and/oraddress may uniquely (or respectively) correspond to a service host orsubset of hosts.

In various embodiments and with reference again to FIGS. 1A and 1B,administrator gateway 115, user gateway 130, mobile app gateway 120,and/or merchant gateway 140 may be in communication with micro registry110. In this regard, administrator gateway 115, mobile app gateway 120,user gateway 130, and/or merchant gateway 140 may be in communicationwith one another via micro registry 110. Moreover, micro registry 110,via tracking engine 112, may receive first location information from auser device 135 based on the user device interacting with and/orreceiving an identifier from a BLE beacon (Step 210). In this regard,tracking engine 112 may be configured to monitor user gateway 130 foruser device 135. User device 135 may be capable of accessing microregistry 110 via a network 137 (e.g., the internet or any suitablenetwork) and via or through user gateway 130. User device 135 may breaka geo-fence, and/or enter a geo-location. In this regard, user device135 may receive a BLE communication from a BLE beacon 150 associatedwith and or registered with micro registry 110. User device 135 mayreceive an identifier from BLE beacon 150. User device 135 may providethe identifier from beacon 150 through user gateway 130. The identifiermay particularly identify a location associated with BLE beacon 150. Anidentifier may be associated with a specific location, such as forexample, a merchant location, a portion of a merchant location and/orthe like. User device 135 may also transmit a user ID that mayparticularly identify a user and/or user device 135 as a user that haspermission to user of micro registry 110. In this regard, thepermissions associated with the micro-registry may require that the userand/or user device 135 be registered with the micro-registry. Microregistry 110 may comprise permission that evaluate whether a particularuser device 135 has permission to access micro registry 110. Moreover,micro registry 110 may comprise varying levels of permissions for accessthat may be set by a user, or by an administrator through anadministrator gateway 115.

Micro registry 110 may also receive a service request from the userdevice 135 (Step 220). The service request may be transmitted from auser through user device 135 and through user gateway 130 to microregistry 110. The service request may be provided via a mobileapplication present on user device 135 (e.g., a micro app).

Micro registry 110 may be capable of determining a service host for theservice request (Step 230). In this regard, routing engine 114 may beconfigured to analyze the service request provided by the user from theuser device 135 via user gateway 130. Routing engine 114 may identify aservice host based on the service request. In response to identifyingthe service host, routing engine 114 may access routing database 116 todetermine an electronic address associated with the service host.Routing database 116 may also comprise and/or provide preliminaryservice host and/or merchant information to micro-registry 110 fortransmission to user device 135. Moreover, micro registry 110 viarouting engine 114 may transmit merchant information and the servicerequest information to the service host (Step 240).

In various embodiments and based on the identification of the servicehost and the transmission of the service request, routing micro registry110 via routing engine 114 may connect the user device 135 with theservice host (Step 250). In this regard, micro registry 110 may route abrowser, an application, or an environment present on user device 135 toa server capable of hosting service host information and providing thecontent requested in the service request provided through user device135. The connection between user device 135 and the service host may beany suitable connection in an environment provided by micro registry 110and/or the service host. Moreover, the connection may be virtual, may bea facilitation and/or may be an enablement of communication and/or dataexchange and/or any other suitable connection. In this regard, theconnection need not be an actual, physical connection. Micro registry110 may also be an environment that hosts and/or connects user device135 and the service hosts. In this regard, the service hosts may pushcontent to micro registry 110 that connects to user device 135 via usergateway 130.

In various embodiments, a service host may be any suitable merchant,payment provider, loyalty program provider, acquirer, issuer, and/or thelike. For example, a service host may be a merchant or a merchantpayment processor that is capable of facilitating transactions and/ortransmitting content from a merchant to user device 135. A service hostmay access micro registry 110 via mobile app gateway 120 and/or merchantgateway 140. In this regard, the service host may be a mobileapplication or micro application provider including any suitable socialmedia, any suitable digital channel, social media network, social mediaplatform, and/or the like.

In various embodiments and as used herein, a digital channel may be anysuitable channel available to a user over a network, including forexample, a social media channel, an entertainment channel, a servicechannel, a review channel, a service scheduling channel, and/or thelike. The channel may include a user interface and user account that maybe created by a user. Moreover, the user may be able to access thedigital channel through a web client on any suitable electronic device.The digital channel may also be considered a non-traditional paymentchannel. In this regard, the digital channel may be capable offacilitating and/or initiating a payment, but may not be a traditionalvirtual or actual POS.

Micro registry 110 may also facilitate direct, virtual contact between amerchant and a user. For example, micro registry 110 may connect a userdevice 135 and a merchant device 145 via user gateway 130 by network 137(e.g., the internet and/or any other suitable network) and merchantgateway 140 by network 147 (e.g., the internet and/or any other suitablenetwork), respectively. In this regard, micro registry 110 mayfacilitate an interaction between a user and a merchant by connecting auser device 135 and a merchant device 145. Moreover, this connection mayalso provide a user and/or merchant with information about offers, aspending level of a user, payment options for a merchant, and/or anyother suitable information. Micro registry 110 may be capable ofaccessing various information sources to enhance the interaction betweenthe user and the merchant via user device 135 and merchant device 145respectively.

In various embodiments, micro registry 110 may be an environment thatmay be monitored. Micro registry 110 may also be monetized. For example,transactions initiated and/or completed over micro registry 110 may beassessed a service fee. In this regard, a transaction may be a payment,a connection between a user and service hosts, presentation of an offerto a user, an advertisement, and/or the like. Micro registry 110 mayalso be a communication platform. In this regard, micro registry 110 mayfacilitate local communication between a user and a merchant when a useris in a merchant's facility and/or interacting with a merchant's BLEbeacon. Micro registry 110 may also be a repository for information thatwould be helpful to a user when interacting with a merchant location.For example, micro registry 110 may facilitate a user's connection witha store directory and/or map via a merchant gateway that is providedthrough a merchant gateway. Micro registry 110 may facilitate a user'saccess to in-store offers that are presented through the merchantgateway.

In various embodiments, micro registry 110 may be capable offacilitating short range communication between users, merchants, and/orthird parties to facilitate transactions, offers, loyalty and/or anyother suitable information and/or contact. Moreover, micro registry 110may facilitate mobile payment, secure communication, reservations foritems, availability of items, and/or the like. Additional informationregarding mobile payments, offers, loyalty benefits, rewards, and/or thelike may be found in U.S. Ser. No. 14/284,817 entitled SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR DYNAMIC PROXIMITY BASED E-COMMERCE TRANSACTIONS and filed onMay 22, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for allpurposes. Additional information regarding mobile payments, offers,loyalty benefits, rewards, and/or the like may also be found in U.S.Ser. No. 14/339,284 entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROXIMITY BASEDCOMMUNICATION and filed on Jul. 23, 2014, which is incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

In various embodiments, micro registry 110 may be configured as an openplatform that may be accessible by any payment provider, offer provider,user, and/or the like. In this regard, micro registry 110 may includevarious permissions and/or access protocols. However, micro registry 110may be configured to connect various users and service hosts to minimizethe impact of fragmentation across the various service hosts and users.

The phrases consumer, customer, user, account holder, account affiliate,cardmember or the like shall include any person, entity, business,government organization, business, software, hardware, machineassociated with a transaction account, that buys merchant offeringsoffered by one or more merchants using the account and/or that islegally designated for performing transactions on the account,regardless of whether a physical card is associated with the account.For example, the cardmember may include a transaction account owner, atransaction account user, an account affiliate, a child account user, asubsidiary account user, a beneficiary of an account, a custodian of anaccount, and/or any other person or entity affiliated or associated witha transaction account.

Phrases and terms similar to “account”, “account number”, “account code”or “consumer account” as used herein, may include any device, code(e.g., one or more of an authorization/access code, personalidentification number (“PIN”), Internet code, other identification code,and/or the like), number, letter, symbol, digital certificate, smartchip, digital signal, analog signal, biometric or otheridentifier/indicia suitably configured to allow the consumer to access,interact with or communicate with the system. The account number mayoptionally be located on or associated with a rewards account, chargeaccount, credit account, debit account, prepaid account, telephone card,embossed card, smart card, magnetic stripe card, bar code card,transponder, radio frequency card or an associated account.

In various embodiments, a transaction account may be may include anyaccount that may be used to facilitate a financial transactionincluding, for example, a charge account, a credit account, a bankaccount (e.g., a checking or savings account), and/or the like. Thetransaction account may include a transaction instrument such as acharge card, credit card, debit card, awards card, prepaid card,telephone card, smart card, magnetic stripe card, bar code card,transponder, radio frequency card and/or the like having an accountnumber, which cardholders typically present to Service Establishments(SEs), as part of a transaction, such as a purchase. An “accountnumber”, as used herein, includes any device, code, number, letter,symbol, digital certificate, smart chip, digital signal, analog signal,biometric or other identifier/indicia suitably configured to allow theconsumer to interact or communicate with the system, such as, forexample, authorization/access code, personal identification number(PIN), Internet code, other identification code, and/or the like whichis optionally located on card. The account number may be distributed andstored in any form of plastic, electronic, magnetic, radio frequency,wireless, audio and/or optical device capable of transmitting or,downloading data from itself to a second device. A customer accountnumber may be, for example, a sixteen-digit credit card number, althougheach credit provider has its own numbering system, such as thefifteen-digit numbering system used by American Express. Each company'scredit card numbers comply with that company's standardized format suchthat the company using a sixteen-digit format will generally use fourspaced sets of numbers, as represented by the number “0000 0000 00000000”. The first five to seven digits are reserved for processingpurposes and identify the issuing bank, card type and etc. In thisexample, the last sixteenth digit is used as a sum check for thesixteen-digit number. The intermediary eight-to-ten digits are used touniquely identify the customer.

In various embodiments, an account number may identify a consumer. Inaddition, in various embodiments, a consumer may be identified by avariety of identifiers, including, for example, an email address, atelephone number, a cookie id, a biometric, and the like.

The system may include or interface with any of the foregoing accounts,devices, and/or a transponder and reader in BLE communication with thetransponder (which may include a fob), or communications between aninitiator and a target enabled by short range communications protocols.Typical devices may include, for example, a key ring, tag, card, cellphone, wristwatch or any such form capable of being presented forinterrogation. Moreover, the system, computing unit or device discussedherein may include a “pervasive computing device,” which may include atraditionally non-computerized device that is embedded with a computingunit. Examples may include watches, Internet enabled kitchen appliances,restaurant tables embedded with RF readers, wallets or purses withimbedded transponders, etc. Furthermore, a device or financialtransaction instrument may have electronic and communicationsfunctionality enabled, for example, by: a network of electroniccircuitry that is printed or otherwise incorporated onto or within thetransaction instrument (and typically referred to as a “smart card”); afob having a transponder and an RFID reader; and/or near fieldcommunication (NFC) technologies.

Phrases and terms similar to “transaction” may include any purchase,exchange, lease, rental, deal, agreement, authorization, settlement,information exchange, item exchange, a record of charge (or “ROC”),record of transaction (“ROT”), including all related data and metadata,and/or the like. Moreover, the transaction, information associated withthe transaction, and/or a record associated with the transaction maycomprise a unique identifier associated with a transaction. Atransaction may, in various embodiments, be performed by one or moreaccount holders using a transaction account. The transaction account maybe associated with a transaction instrument such as, for example, a giftcard, a debit card, a credit card, and the like. A record associatedwith the transaction may, in addition, contain details such as location,merchant name or identifier, transaction amount, transaction date,account number, account security pin or code, account expiry date, andthe like for the transaction.

In various embodiments, the methods described herein are implementedusing the various particular machines described herein. The methodsdescribed herein may be implemented using the below particular machines,and those hereinafter developed, in any suitable combination, as wouldbe appreciated immediately by one skilled in the art. Further, as isunambiguous from this disclosure, the methods described herein mayresult in various transformations of certain articles.

The present system or any part(s) or function(s) thereof may beimplemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof and may beimplemented in one or more computer systems or other processing systems.However, the manipulations performed by embodiments were often referredto in terms, such as matching or selecting, which are commonlyassociated with mental operations performed by a human operator. No suchcapability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in most cases,in any of the operations described herein. Rather, the operations may bemachine operations. Useful machines for performing the variousembodiments include general purpose digital computers or similardevices.

In various embodiments, the embodiments are directed toward one or morecomputer systems capable of carrying out the functionality describedherein. The computer system includes one or more processors, such asprocessor. The processor is connected to a communication infrastructure(e.g., a communications bus, cross over bar, or network). Varioussoftware embodiments are described in terms of this exemplary computersystem. After reading this description, it will become apparent to aperson skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement variousembodiments using other computer systems and/or architectures. Computersystem can include a display interface that forwards graphics, text, andother data from the communication infrastructure (or from a frame buffernot shown) for display on a display unit.

Conventional data networking, application development and otherfunctional aspects of the systems (and components of the individualoperating components of the systems) may not be described in detailherein. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figurescontained herein are intended to represent exemplary functionalrelationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. Itshould be noted that many alternative or additional functionalrelationships or physical connections may be present in a practicalsystem.

The various system components discussed herein may include one or moreof the following: a host server or other computing systems including aprocessor for processing digital data; a memory coupled to the processorfor storing digital data; an input digitizer coupled to the processorfor inputting digital data; an application program stored in the memoryand accessible by the processor for directing processing of digital databy the processor; a display device coupled to the processor and memoryfor displaying information derived from digital data processed by theprocessor; and a plurality of databases. Various databases used hereinmay include: client data; merchant data; financial institution data;and/or like data useful in the operation of the system. As those skilledin the art will appreciate, user computer may include an operatingsystem (e.g., Windows operating system, UNIX®, Linux®, Solaris®, MacOS,etc.) as well as various conventional support software and driverstypically associated with computers.

Computer system also includes a main memory, such as for example randomaccess memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory. Thesecondary memory may include, for example, a hard disk drive and/or aremovable storage drive, representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetictape drive, an optical disk drive, etc. The removable storage drivereads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit in a well-knownmanner. Removable storage unit represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape,optical disk, etc. which is read by and written to by removable storagedrive. As will be appreciated, the removable storage unit includes acomputer usable storage medium having stored therein computer softwareand/or data.

In various embodiments, secondary memory may include other similardevices for allowing computer programs or other instructions to beloaded into computer system. Such devices may include, for example, aremovable storage unit and an interface. Examples of such may include aprogram cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in videogame devices), a removable memory chip (such as an erasable programmableread only memory (EPROM), or programmable read only memory (PROM)) andassociated socket, and other removable storage units and interfaces,which allow software and data to be transferred from the removablestorage unit to computer system.

The terms “computer program medium” and “computer usable medium” and“computer readable medium” are used to generally refer to media such asremovable storage drive and a hard disk installed in hard disk drive.These computer program products provide software to computer system.

Computer programs (also referred to as computer control logic) arestored in main memory and/or secondary memory. Computer programs mayalso be received via communications interface. Such computer programs,when executed, enable the computer system to perform the features asdiscussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed,enable the processor to perform the features of various embodiments.Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of thecomputer system.

In various embodiments, software may be stored in a computer programproduct and loaded into computer system using removable storage drive,hard disk drive or communications interface. The control logic(software), when executed by the processor, causes the processor toperform the functions of various embodiments as described herein. Invarious embodiments, hardware components such as application specificintegrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation of the hardware statemachine so as to perform the functions described herein will be apparentto persons skilled in the relevant art(s).

Practitioners will appreciate that a web client may or may not be indirect contact with an application server. For example, a web client mayaccess the services of an application server through another serverand/or hardware component, which may have a direct or indirectconnection to an Internet server. For example, a web client maycommunicate with an application server via a load balancer. In anexemplary embodiment, access is through a network or the Internetthrough a commercially-available web-browser software package.

In various embodiments, components, modules, and/or engines of systemsmay be implemented as micro-applications or micro-apps. Micro-apps aretypically deployed in the context of a mobile operating system,including for example, a Palm® mobile operating system, a Windows®mobile operating system, an Android® Operating System, Apple® iOS, aBlackberry® operating system and the like. The micro-app may beconfigured to leverage the resources of the larger operating system andassociated hardware via a set of predetermined rules which govern theoperations of various operating systems and hardware resources. Forexample, where a micro-app desires to communicate with a device ornetwork other than the mobile device or mobile operating system, themicro-app may leverage the communication protocol of the operatingsystem and associated device hardware under the predetermined rules ofthe mobile operating system. Moreover, where the micro-app desires aninput from a user, the micro-app may be configured to request a responsefrom the operating system which monitors various hardware components andthen communicates a detected input from the hardware to the micro-app.

As used herein, the term “network” includes any cloud, cloud computingsystem or electronic communications system or method which incorporateshardware and/or software components. Communication among the parties maybe accomplished through any suitable communication channels, such as,for example, a telephone network, an extranet, an intranet, Internet,point of interaction device (point of sale device, personal digitalassistant (e.g., iPhone®, Palm Pilot®, Blackberry®), cellular phone,kiosk, etc.), online communications, satellite communications, off-linecommunications, wireless communications, transponder communications,local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual privatenetwork (VPN), networked or linked devices, keyboard, mouse and/or anysuitable communication or data input modality. Moreover, although thesystem is frequently described herein as being implemented with TCP/IPcommunications protocols, the system may also be implemented using IPX,Appletalk, IP-6, NetBIOS, OSI, any tunneling protocol (e.g. IPsec, SSH),or any number of existing or future protocols. If the network is in thenature of a public network, such as the Internet, it may be advantageousto presume the network to be insecure and open to eavesdroppers.Specific information related to the protocols, standards, andapplication software utilized in connection with the Internet isgenerally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not bedetailed herein.

The various system components may be independently, separately orcollectively suitably coupled to the network via data links whichincludes, for example, a connection to an Internet Service Provider(ISP) over the local loop as is typically used in connection withstandard modem communication, cable modem, Dish Networks®, ISDN, DigitalSubscriber Line (DSL), or various wireless communication methods, see,e.g., GILBERT HELD, UNDERSTANDING DATA COMMUNICATIONS (1996), which ishereby incorporated by reference. It is noted that the network may beimplemented as other types of networks, such as an interactivetelevision (ITV) network. Moreover, the system contemplates the use,sale or distribution of any goods, services or information over anynetwork having similar functionality described herein.

“Cloud” or “Cloud computing” includes a model for enabling convenient,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services)that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal managementeffort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing may includelocation-independent computing, whereby shared servers provideresources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand.For more information regarding cloud computing, see the NIST's (NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology) definition of cloud computing athttp://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-145/SP800-145.pdf (lastvisited June 2012), which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

As used herein, “transmit” may include sending electronic data from onesystem component to another over a network connection. Additionally, asused herein, “data” may include encompassing information such ascommands, queries, files, data for storage, and the like in digital orany other form.

Phrases and terms similar to an “item” may include any good, service,information, experience, data, discount, rebate, points, virtualcurrency, content, access, rental, lease, contribution, account, credit,debit, benefit, right, reward, points, coupons, credits, monetaryequivalent, anything of value, something of minimal or no value,monetary value, non-monetary value and/or the like. Moreover, the“transactions” or “purchases” discussed herein may be associated with anitem. Furthermore, a “reward” may be an item.

Phrases and terms similar to “transaction” may include any purchase,authorization, settlement, a record of charge (or “ROC”), record oftransaction (“ROT”) and/or the like. Moreover, the transaction,information associated with the transaction, and/or a record associatedwith the transaction may comprise a unique identifier associated with atransaction. A transaction may, in various embodiments, be performed byone or more members using a transaction account, such as a transactionaccount associated with a transaction account such as, for example, agift card, a debit card, a credit card, and the like. A recordassociated with the transaction may, in addition, contain details suchas location, merchant name or identifier, transaction amount,transaction date, account number, account security pin or code, accountexpiry date, and the like for the transaction.

One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons,any databases, systems, devices, servers or other components of thesystem may consist of any combination thereof at a single location or atmultiple locations, wherein each database or system includes any ofvarious suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes,encryption, decryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like.

Encryption may be performed by way of any of the techniques nowavailable in the art or which may become available—e.g., Twofish, RSA,El Gamal, Schorr signature, DSA, PGP, PKI, GPG (GnuPG), and symmetricand asymmetric cryptosystems.

The computing unit of the web client may be further equipped with anInternet browser connected to the Internet or an intranet using standarddial-up, cable, DSL or any other Internet protocol known in the art.Transactions originating at a web client may pass through a firewall inorder to prevent unauthorized access from users of other networks.Further, additional firewalls may be deployed between the varyingcomponents of CMS to further enhance security.

Any of the communications, inputs, storage, databases or displaysdiscussed herein may be facilitated through a website having web pages.The term “web page” as it is used herein is not meant to limit the typeof documents and applications that might be used to interact with theuser. For example, a typical website might include, in addition tostandard HTML documents, various forms, Java applets, JavaScript, activeserver pages (ASP), common gateway interface scripts (CGI), extensiblemarkup language (XML), dynamic HTML, cascading style sheets (CSS), AJAX(Asynchronous Javascript And XML), helper applications, plug-ins, andthe like. A server may include a web service that receives a requestfrom a web server, the request including a URL(http://yahoo.com/stockquotes/ge) and an IP address (123.56.789.234).The web server retrieves the appropriate web pages and sends the data orapplications for the web pages to the IP address. Web services areapplications that are capable of interacting with other applicationsover a communications means, such as the internet. Web services aretypically based on standards or protocols such as XML, SOAP, AJAX, WSDLand UDDI. Web services methods are well known in the art, and arecovered in many standard texts. See, e.g., ALEX NGHIEM, IT WEB SERVICES:A ROADMAP FOR THE ENTERPRISE (2003), hereby incorporated by reference.

Middleware may include any hardware and/or software suitably configuredto facilitate communications and/or process transactions betweendisparate computing systems. Middleware components are commerciallyavailable and known in the art. Middleware may be implemented throughcommercially available hardware and/or software, through custom hardwareand/or software components, or through a combination thereof. Middlewaremay reside in a variety of configurations and may exist as a standalonesystem or may be a software component residing on the Internet server.Middleware may be configured to process transactions between the variouscomponents of an application server and any number of internal orexternal systems for any of the purposes disclosed herein. WebSphere MQ™(formerly MQSeries) by IBM, Inc. (Armonk, N.Y.) is an example of acommercially available middleware product. An Enterprise Service Bus(“ESB”) application is another example of middleware.

Practitioners will also appreciate that there are a number of methodsfor displaying data within a browser-based document. Data may berepresented as standard text or within a fixed list, scrollable list,drop-down list, editable text field, fixed text field, pop-up window,and the like. Likewise, there are a number of methods available formodifying data in a web page such as, for example, free text entry usinga keyboard, selection of menu items, check boxes, option boxes, and thelike.

The system and method may be described herein in terms of functionalblock components, screen shots, optional selections and variousprocessing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocksmay be realized by any number of hardware and/or software componentsconfigured to perform the specified functions. For example, the systemmay employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements,processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, whichmay carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or moremicroprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the softwareelements of the system may be implemented with any programming orscripting language with the various algorithms being implemented withany combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines orother programming elements. Further, it should be noted that the systemmay employ any number of conventional techniques for data transmission,signaling, data processing, network control, and the like. Stillfurther, the system could be used to detect or prevent security issueswith a client-side scripting language. For a basic introduction ofcryptography and network security, see any of the following references:(1) “Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, And Source Code In C,”by Bruce Schneier, published by John Wiley & Sons (second edition,1995); (2) “Java Cryptography” by Jonathan Knudson, published byO'Reilly & Associates (1998); (3) “Cryptography & Network Security:Principles & Practice” by William Stallings, published by Prentice Hall;all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The electronic commerce system may be implemented at the customer andissuing bank. In an exemplary implementation, the electronic commercesystem is implemented as computer software modules loaded onto thecustomer computer and the banking computing center. The merchantcomputer does not require any additional software to participate in theonline commerce transactions supported by the online commerce system.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the systemmay be embodied as a customization of an existing system, an add-onproduct, a processing apparatus executing upgraded software, astandalone system, a distributed system, a method, a data processingsystem, a device for data processing, and/or a computer program product.Accordingly, any portion of the system or a module may take the form ofa processing apparatus executing code, an internet based embodiment, anentirely hardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining aspects of theinternet, software and hardware. Furthermore, the system may take theform of a computer program product on a computer-readable storage mediumhaving computer-readable program code means embodied in the storagemedium. Any suitable computer-readable storage medium may be utilized,including hard disks, CD-ROM, optical storage devices, magnetic storagedevices, and/or the like.

The system and method is described herein with reference to screenshots, block diagrams and flowchart illustrations of methods, apparatus(e.g., systems), and computer program products according to variousembodiments. It will be understood that each functional block of theblock diagrams and the flowchart illustrations, and combinations offunctional blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart illustrations,respectively, can be implemented by computer program instructions.

Functional blocks of the block diagrams and flowchart illustrationssupport combinations of means for performing the specified functions,combinations of steps for performing the specified functions, andprogram instruction means for performing the specified functions. Itwill also be understood that each functional block of the block diagramsand flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks inthe block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, can be implemented byeither special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform thespecified functions or steps, or suitable combinations of specialpurpose hardware and computer instructions. Further, illustrations ofthe process flows and the descriptions thereof may make reference touser windows, webpages, websites, web forms, prompts, etc. Practitionerswill appreciate that the illustrated steps described herein may comprisein any number of configurations including the use of windows, webpages,web forms, popup windows, prompts and the like. It should be furtherappreciated that the multiple steps as illustrated and described may becombined into single webpages and/or windows but have been expanded forthe sake of simplicity. In other cases, steps illustrated and describedas single process steps may be separated into multiple webpages and/orwindows but have been combined for simplicity.

The term “non-transitory” is to be understood to remove only propagatingtransitory signals per se from the claim scope and does not relinquishrights to all standard computer-readable media that are not onlypropagating transitory signals per se. Stated another way, the meaningof the term “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and“non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” should be construed toexclude only those types of transitory computer-readable media whichwere found in In Re Nuijten to fall outside the scope of patentablesubject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101.

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided. In thedetailed description herein, references to “various embodiments”, “oneembodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicatethat the embodiment described may include a particular feature,structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarilyinclude the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover,such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic isdescribed in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it iswithin the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature,structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodimentswhether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, itwill be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implementthe disclosure in alternative embodiments.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, thebenefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that maycause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essentialfeatures or elements of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure isaccordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, inwhich reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean“one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one ormore.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to ‘at least one of A, B, and C’or ‘at least one of A, B, or C’ is used in the claims or specification,it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone maybe present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, Calone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of theelements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example,A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Although the disclosureincludes a method, it is contemplated that it may be embodied ascomputer program instructions on a tangible computer-readable carrier,such as a magnetic or optical memory or a magnetic or optical disk. Allstructural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of theabove-described exemplary embodiments that are known to those ofordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by referenceand are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, itis not necessary for a device or method to address each and everyproblem sought to be solved by the present disclosure, for it to beencompassed by the present claims.

Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the presentdisclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless ofwhether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited inthe claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under theprovisions of 35 U.S.C. 112 (f) unless the element is expressly recitedusing the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”,“comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover anon-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, orapparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only thoseelements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherentto such process, method, article, or apparatus.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, by at leastone computing device, a service request from a micro-app executed by amobile device, the service request received from the micro-app through alocalized communication with a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon device,the micro-app further utilizing a communication interface of anoperating system according to pre-determined rules of the mobileoperating system; acknowledging, by the at least one computing device,the service request through the BLE beacon device associated with alocation, wherein the service request comprises a location indicationgenerated by the mobile device; identifying, by the at least onecomputing device, a service host associated with the service requestbased upon the location indication and an identity associated with themobile device; receiving, by the at least one computing device, contentfrom the service host in response to the location indication and theidentity associated with the mobile device; and connecting, by the atleast one computing device, the mobile device with the content receivedfrom the service host, wherein the content facilitates communicationbetween the mobile device and the service host that is based upon thelocation.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the BLE beacon devicecomprises one of a plurality of beacons defining a geo-fence for thelocation.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service host comprises adevice associated with the location and the mobile device communicateswith the service host over a network.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe at least one computing device completes the communication on behalfof the mobile device and on behalf of a location associated with the BLEbeacon device.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the service requestcauses a second micro-app associated with the location to be launched onthe user device.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising pushing,by the at least one computing device, content to the mobile device viathe BLE beacon device in response to receiving the service request fromthe mobile device.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicationbetween the mobile device and the service host comprises a behaviortracking interaction.
 8. A non-transitory computer readable mediumhaving instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least onecomputing device, causes the at least one computing device to at least:receive a service request from a micro-app executed by a mobile device,the service request received from the micro-app through a localizedcommunication with a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon device, themicro-app further utilizing a communication interface of an operatingsystem according to pre-determined rules of the mobile operating system;acknowledge the service request through the BLE beacon device associatedwith a location, wherein the service request comprises a locationindication generated by the mobile device; identify a service hostassociated with the service request based upon the location indicationand an identity associated with the mobile device; receive content fromthe service host in response to the location indication and the identityassociated with the mobile device; and connect the mobile device withthe content received from the service host, wherein the contentfacilitates communication between the mobile device and the service hostthat is based upon the location.
 9. The non-transitory computer readablemedium of claim 8, wherein the BLE beacon device comprises one of aplurality of BLE beacons defining a geo-fence for the location.
 10. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the servicehost comprises a device associated with the location and the mobiledevice communicates with the service host over a network.
 11. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the at leastone computing device completes the communication on behalf of the mobiledevice and on behalf of a location associated with the BLE beacondevice.
 12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8,wherein the service request causes a second micro-app associated withthe location to be launched on the user device.
 13. The non-transitorycomputer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions furthercause the at least one computing device to push content to the mobiledevice via the BLE beacon device in response to receiving the servicerequest from the mobile device.
 14. The non-transitory computer readablemedium of claim 8, wherein the communication between the mobile deviceand the service host comprises a behavior tracking interaction.
 15. Asystem comprising: at least one computing device; and instructionsexecuted by the at least one computing device, wherein the instructionscause the at least one computing device to at least: receive a servicerequest from a micro-app executed by a mobile device, the servicerequest received from the micro-app through a localized communicationwith a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon device, the micro-app furtherutilizing a communication interface of an operating system according topre-determined rules of the mobile operating system; acknowledge theservice request through the BLE beacon device associated with alocation, wherein the service request comprises a location indicationgenerated by the mobile device; identify a service host associated withthe service request based upon the location indication and an identityassociated with the mobile device; receive content from the service hostin response to the location indication and the identity associated withthe mobile device; and connect the mobile device with the contentreceived from the service host, wherein the content facilitatescommunication between the mobile device and the service host that isbased upon the location.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the BLEbeacon device comprises one of a plurality of BLE beacons defining ageo-fence for the location.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein theservice host comprises a device associated with the location and themobile device communicates with the service host over a network.
 18. Thesystem of claim 15, wherein the at least one computing device completesa communication on behalf of the application executed by the user deviceand on behalf of the device associated with the location.
 19. The systemof claim 15, wherein the service request causes a second micro-appassociated with the location to be launched on the user device.
 20. Thesystem of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the at leastone computing device to push content to the mobile device via the BLEbeacon device in response to receiving the service request from themobile device.